State Bar of Texas Podcast

What Are the Legal Implications of the Astroworld Aftermath? In November 2021, a fatal crowd crush occurred during the first night of the 2021 Astroworld Festival that resulted in the deaths of ten people, plus hundreds of serious injuries. Could this Catastrophe have been Prevented?  Litigation attorneys, Saba Syed, Brent Turman and Barrett Robin join host, Laurence Colletti in this special episo...

Successful lawyers are successful storytellers. Special guest Corban Addision joins the podcast to discuss his most recent legal thriller “Wastelands”; and how lawyers can leverage the power of storytelling in their legal writing to advance justice and client advocacy.  The book “Wastelands” tells the extraordinary, true story of how a rural, North Carolina community stood up against one of the wo...

As the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) quickly approaches the final weeks of the term, it has yet to cast its opinion on a handful of crucial issues that linger on the minds of many Americans. Abortion, gun rights, immigration and the environment are just a few of the key issues in play. Trial Associate Susanna Rychlak Allen gives us an update on what we can expect from SCOTUS in its last leg...

When the COVID-19 pandemic surged in early 2020, it forced courthouses across the country to close their doors. For the nation’s legal system, that meant reimagining how to administer justice. It pushed technology to the forefront, and forced courts and lawyers to break with tradition and innovate in new ways. These new courtroom innovations may forever change the litigation landscape and practice...

Thinking of entering family law? In this panel focused on helping young lawyers understand the nuances of practicing in this area of the law, listeners get varied perspectives from both judges and attorneys. Rocky Dhir chats with Judge Janice Berg, Judge Gloria López, and attorneys Jacob Cohen and Alicia Palmer about their experiences in family law practice and their favorite tidbits of wisdom fro...

Recent amendments to Texas labor codes are making it far easier for workers to pursue a sexual harassment claim. Annual Meeting presenters Lea Ream and Karen Fitzgerald join podcast host Rocky Dhir to discuss the implications of these changes for Texas employers and what best practices should be followed to properly respond to and investigate harassment claims. Additionally, they elaborate on incr...

The last two years have brought a variety of game-changers to employment law, in large part due to pandemic-era effects on employee/employer relationships. Host Rocky Dhir talks with Tony Campiti and Lawrence Morales about their Annual Meeting presentation on the latest trends and changes in employment law and what Texas lawyers, employers, and employees need to know.  Tony Campiti is a partner an...

The Fair Pay to Play Act has brought forth a whole slew of changes, questions, and (if we’re honest) confusion to the world of college sports. Laurence Coletti chats with Jeremy Evans about the details of the Act, which now allows college athletes to secure endorsements and sponsorships without losing scholarship eligibility. Jeremy talks about the pros and cons of athletes' new control over marke...

This year’s keynote speaker offers a whole new perspective on work, life, mental health, and cross-industry cooperation. Restaurateur Chris Shepherd chats with Rocky Dhir about the challenges of the hospitality industry and how the Southern Smoke Foundation works to provide support for those in crisis.  Chris Shepherd is founding director and honorary chairman of Southern Smoke Foundation.

Every attorney dreads the day a crisis erupts. Because it will. But there are “good ways” and “bad ways” to prepare and react. Pretending it will never happen to you is the “bad way.” Speakers David Margulies and Bradley Adams are experts in crisis management and communication and spoke at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting on what they’ve learned and how attorneys work with public relations te...

Generation Z are the new up-and-comers in the legal world. What can we expect from them as they begin contributing to legal processes? From the Annual Meeting, Laurence Coletti talks with conference speakers Laura Graham and Jason Bloom, whose sessions focused on different aspects of Gen Z’s entrance into the legal system. Laura shares highlights from Gen Z: What Kind of Colleagues Will They Be?,...

The 2022-2023 State Bar year marks a new chapter as Texas lawyers emerge from the pandemic and a sense of normalcy returns. Rocky Dhir talks with soon-to-be State Bar and TYLA presidents Laura Gibson and Michael Ritter about their plans for the coming year, particularly involving attorney succession planning, mental health and wellness, public education on legal processes, and much more.  Laura Gi...

After two years of hosting an entirely virtual event, the State Bar of Texas will be returning to an in-person Annual Meeting for 2022! Rocky Dhir talks with Bar president Sylvia Borunda Firth and executive director Trey Apffel about how this year’s conference will be run, taking into consideration all current CDC guidelines. They also chat about the exciting professional and social offerings for...

Why bother to become a board certified attorney? As it turns out, there are tons of advantages for your legal practice. The State Bar of Texas Podcast host Rocky Dhir welcomes Leo Figueroa to discuss the process of board certification and debunk common misconceptions.  Leo Figueroa is executive director of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.   Special thanks to our sponsor, LawPay.  

Time to meet your candidates! On March 10, Joe Escobedo and Cindy Tisdale participated in a live, virtual forum hosted by Rocky Dhir. Get to know Joe and Cindy as they share their priorities for the State Bar of Texas and answer audience questions.  Register to join their next live forum on April 5!  Joe Escobedo is a partner at Escobedo & Cardenas, LLP, in Edinburg, Texas, where he devotes his pr...

Women play a vital role in the legal profession, and their leadership should be encouraged and supported as we move into the future. State Bar of Texas podcast host Rocky Dhir talks with four deans of Texas law schools, Joan R.M. Bullock, Jennifer Collins, Felecia Epps, and Patricia Roberts, about their perspectives on women and the law. They discuss changing dynamics in work-life balance, overcom...

The pandemic made many employers realize that they actually can do business with a remote staff, but there are still many issues to untangle as remote and/or hybrid work continues. To help attorneys understand the nuances of employment law for these new work situations, Rocky Dhir welcomes business and employment trial lawyer Trang Tran. They discuss how today’s common work situations interact wit...

Happy New Year! To ring in 2022, host Rocky Dhir welcomes Warren W. Harris and Kirsten Castañeda to look back at 2021 appellate law happenings and explore the lessons to be learned. Warren and Kirsten discuss topics from their recent appellate law articles for the Texas Bar Journal and offer guidance for attorneys on current issues.  Warren W. Harris is a partner in Bracewell in Houston, where he...

Every lawyer hopes to present themselves as poised and intelligent, but some struggle to put their best foot forward when engaging clients or fellow professionals online, especially in video communications. Elisabeth Steele is here to help! Host Rocky Dhir welcomes Elisabeth to walk lawyers through the elements of effective virtual presence and communication. She shares tips on: cultivating connec...

Legal advertising has become more and more sophisticated in our tech-driven age, and the State Bar of Texas’ advertising review department is striving to become equally sophisticated in giving lawyers speedy, straightforward feedback on ad compliance. Rocky Dhir welcomes Gene Major to learn all about the department’s new advertising review portal, which is now available for all State Bar members....

E-filing systems are quicker and more efficient, but there is certainly still room for human error, as was seen in a recent case heard by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans— a lawyer who had agreed to use e-filing later missed a motion for summary judgment that landed in his spam folder, leading to his failure to respond to the motion in time and, ultimately, to the court tossing...

We may not give much thought to how trademark laws affect our daily lives, but the Lanham Act has played a huge role in protecting us as consumers. How? Rocky Dhir welcomes intellectual property experts Joe Cleveland and Craig Stone to discuss the evolution of trademark law and its functions in our economy. They also honor Texas Congressman Fritz Lanham’s contributions to this area of the law and...

The Texas Bar Journal has been striving to make sure diverse voices are represented in its pages. State Bar of Texas podcast host Rocky Dhir talks with Angelica Hernandez, a current member of the editorial board, to learn how articles are selected for the Journal and how the unique perspectives of diverse authors benefit all Texas legal professionals. Angelica Hernandez is a partner at the law fir...

As newly sworn in president of the State Bar of Texas, Sylvia Borunda Firth discusses her goals for the coming year and her hopes for furthering diversity and inclusion for future generations of lawyers.

Judge Maricela Moore outlines the challenges of reopening Texas courthouses and what measures are being taken to ensure the safety of those involved.